Life-preserver.



No. 79?.,l36. P ATENTED AUG. l5, 1905. H. 'L MANLUVB.

LIFE PRESERVBR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aug. it, :ieee0 Application iiled April 211, 1905. Serial No. 257,237.

T0 all LU/mm, V/t Tita/y concern:

Be it known that l, Hennen T. MANLovn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

lhis invention relates to life-preservers; and one of' the principal objects of the same is to provide means for automatically inflatinga life-preserver sack or bag whenever the same is thrown into the water.

Another object is to provide a collapsible life-preserver sack with a casing which will hold the collapsed sack within a small space, but which will open automatically when the life-preserver has been thrown into the water or has been immersed at one end for a sufi/icient time to meisten the iniiating medium.

These and other objects are attained by means of' the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichh Figure l is a central Vertical sectional view taken through an inflating life-preserver made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of' a casing within which the life-preserver is adapted to be placed in order that it may occupy but a small space, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 in F ig. 2.

Referringto the drawings for a more particular description of my invention, the numeral l designates a collapsible india-rubber inflatable sack or bag, and 2 is a netting adapted to surround and inclose said sack l to prevent the same from being excessively inflated. Projecting into the mouth portion ofthe sack 1 is a tube 3, of metal or other suitable material, provided with an opening at one side thereof', said opening being covered by a suitable 'fiap-valve t for a purpose which will presently appear.

Fitted within the outer end of the tube 3 is a plug 5, to which is secured a series of Wires 6, said wires being contracted, as at 7, to support and hold a wick 8 in place. Above the contracted portions of the wires a carbid-compartment 9 is provided, and. the upper ends of said wires are bent over the iniiating medium lO, as at il. It will be understood that any suitable medium, like calcium carbid, carbonate of soda, or other inilatlng medium or compound, may be used.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a casing l2 is provided for inclosing the collapsed sack of the life-preserver. This casing may be provided with a curved side and a plain fiat cover hinged at one edge on one side and provided with a series of fingers 13, said lingers being adapted to pass under the curled-over edge la of the casing to hold the casing closed. However, when water is permitted to pass into the tube and be conveyed, by means of the wick, into the iniiating-chamber and the gas is generated therein to iniiate the sack l the pressure ofthe sach will open the case by springing the lingers past the beaded edge of the case.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that my automaticallyinflatable life-preserver may be readily carried within the pocket within a comparatively small case, such as I have shown, and that the lif'e-preserver may be instantly inflated by dipping the end in water a sufhcient time to fill the tube with water. The case is thus opened by the pressure of the iniiated sack, when the device is ready for use.

rthe opening at the side of the tube and the valve t may be located in the plug 5 instead of in the tube 3. The casing l2 may be attached to the clothing by means of a clasp or safety-pin connected to the casing.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of' construction may be resorted to without departing' from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of' this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A life-preserver comprising a collapsible and inflatable sack, means for supporting an inilating medium within the sack, a wick leading to the iniiating medium, and means for admitting water to the wick, substantially as described.

2. A lif'e-preserver comprising a collapsible and inflatable sack, a tube extending into the same, a plug fitted to the tube, wire supports secured to the plug, a wick connected to said supports, an inflating medium secured to said wires, a valve in said tube and an inclosing case for said sack when the latter is deflated or collapsed, substantially as described.

3. A life-preserver comprising an iniiatable sack, a netting surrounding said sack, a tube extending into Said sack, an iniating medium supported Within said tube, a Valve in said tube to admit Water to the ineting medium, a easing for containing said sack, said casing having spring-fingers adapted to be disconneoted when the sack is becoming inated, substantially es described.

In testirnony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HORACE T. MANLOVE. Witnesses:

CHAS. W. HUGGINS, WILLIAM R. MANLOVE. 

